Patrick Huey chair, ISPA;
vice president spa and retail, Montage International / Credit: @Danielle Nowak/Nomadic Reverie
Patrick Huey has just been elected the new chair of the International Spa Association (ISPA), having been a board member since 2016. He’s a valued member of the global spa community who’s been in the industry for over 15 years and served as group spa director for companies such as Viceroy, Sandals, Minor, and now Montage International. He shares insights with Spa Business about his new role, the Black Lives Matter campaign and the impact of coronavirus.
What does it mean to be elected as the new ISPA chair? I’ve wanted to be a part of the association ever since my first ISPA conference in 2007. I’d just been promoted to spa director for Four Seasons Las Vegas and the energy of the floor with the resource partners, the keynotes and the quality of the educational seminars made me realise I had found my people. I was hooked. Being elected chair is such a wonderful experience and enables me to engage the new spa professional, at our next conference in Phoenix next May, to ensure they know ISPA is the place for them to develop from a first time attendee to a critical part of the ISPA family.
What are you hoping to achieve in the role? We have a tremendous group of volunteer board members and our focus is to ensure the sustainability of our industry and the association through this extraordinary time. It’s that simple. We want to ensure our members (current and future) continue to look on the positive side of what’s happening. We should all be asking ‘what is the good that we can find today?’
A colleague recently reached out to me through ISPA’s virtual Town Hall series and even though we’ve been in the industry together for more than 20 years, she now feels she knows me and we’ve established a rapport. This is exactly what we need as an industry right now – that sense of positive and personal connection and engagement.
How successful has ISPA’s Town Hall series been? We launched them in June and every week the virtual, hour-long sessions see spa leaders who’ve reopened their business share observations around different topics – from prepping staff to revenue management. We’ve had very high engagement levels. The last time I checked we had over 18,000 participants on our various social platforms.
What are your takeaways from these sessions? This pandemic has brought forth the best in our industry. Our spa operators and therapists are the unsung heroes of the hospitality. They’re not only brilliant business minds, but they’re navigating the complexities of human emotion of their associates and guests. It’s a phenomenal balancing act. In hotel operations, food and beverage gets a lot of attention. I encourage general managers to look at their spa directors closely. They will see examples of extraordinary leadership there.
I’ve also been impressed with how quickly resource partners have pivoted at this time. From drop shipping to virtual training platforms, they really are the engine of the industry.
ISPA’s Reopening Toolkit has been essential to the industry, how did you generate the content for it? It was critical that the industry fly in formation to navigate these extraordinary times and I headed up ISPA’s COVID-19 Collaboration Group. So many wonderful and brilliant minds, from different parts of the globe, and dozens of companies, large and small, committed to freely sharing their knowledge with one another as it relates to the health and safety of our spa teams and guests.
ISPA then made the smart and compassionate decision to make the toolkit complimentary and customisable. This bold move has enabled spas around the world – as well as many other industries – to safely reopen and its been viewed over 150,000 times! The document is updated constantly as we all continue to learn more.
The Black Lives Matter movement is gaining traction… is racial discrimination an issue in the spa industry? Our industry is open to all and ISPA issued a statement of #Healinghappenshere at the height of the protests affirming its support.
But there’s always room to grow and develop and I see the industry shifting and adjusting. Just last week Dr Bryan Williams, a celebrated speaker, author and hospitality veteran, featured on a new virtual series ISPA’s launching called Heart of the Matter. He talked about diversity and inclusion in the spa industry and his own experiences with discrimination. I believe the way we make change is through dialogue and education. When talking about these highly sensitive issues, we have to meet people where they are in their own journey and listen to understand, not just listen only to respond. This is how we effect change.
Are all Montage spas now up and running again? Our decisions to reopen are guided by the laws and guidelines of each state and jurisdiction. We have six spas, five are now open and one remains closed. We’re also excited to be opening two more properties before the end of this year, Montage Healdsburg and Pendry West Hollywood, so we’ll have eight spas in total soon.
For those that are open again, how is business? It’s strong and consistent for our spas. We have a loyal and dedicated following of guests who have graciously remained by our side and trusted in our Peace of Mind Commitment to their safety. I think we’ll continue to see strong levels. Now, more than ever, people need a safe and trusted place to heal themselves and we provide that. We’re still offering massages, facials, body services and salon services. Some states have specified that certain treatments cannot be done and in those cases we follow the established guidelines.
What strategies does Montage have in place to maintain revenue? Retail is a key. We have to embrace technology and understand that guests want to purchase products online. So, it’s important to have active e-commerce bandwidth and programmes like drop shipping from your resource partners to your guests.
It’s also important to have smart booking procedures to ensure you’re maximising your therapists’ time. We want to reduce any unnecessary open blocks on the books. They represent lost revenue opportunities.
Lastly, it’s about refining the guest experience – it’s essential that what happens in the treatment room is exemplary and impactful. That’s when the guests will return.
How is the global spa industry is going to weather the impact of COVID-19? Quite well, I think. The industry is committed to safety first. Safety and consistency are the new markers of luxury.
What’s key for businesses that do survive? We as an industry have to remember that we succeed and stumble together. We have to execute consistently on the guidelines that we’ve put in place. If we don’t do that, we break trust with our teams and our guests. That trust is the key business driver.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2020 issue 3
Editor's letter: The fight ahead
There’s a huge job of work to do to build our reputation and win support in the corridors of power, says Katie Barnes
Spa people: Patrick Huey
The vice-president of spa and retail at Montage talks about his new role as ISPA chair, Black Lives Matter and how his spas are fighting back against COVID-19
Spa people: Rianna Riego
Wellness consultant Rianna Riego speaks out about racial discrimination in the global spa industry
Spa people: Anna Teal
The CEO of Aromatherapy Associates outlines the online innovations it's using to connect with customers in exciting new ways
Spa programmes: On the menu
How are spas changing their treatments and services now they’re staring to reopen again?
Interview: Lee Woon Hoe
Banyan Tree’s executive director of wellbeing tells Spa Business magazine why now is the right time for the group to launch its new wellness concept
Ask an expert: Spa design 2030
Spa Business magazine asks leading designers and architects to give their predictions about pandemic-proof spa models
Promotion: Trendsetting
Design specialists, The Wellness, worked with in-house engineers for Jumeirah to create a state-of-the-art gym for Talise Fitness at the Jumeirah Al Naseem in Dubai
Research: Manner of speaking
ISPA’s latest study reveals consumer attitudes in the aftermath of COVID-19. Josh Corman picks out the key details
Research: New perspectives
Two surveys in the UK highlight both spa operator and spa-goer insights as facilities across the country begin to welcome guests back
Promotion: The power of touchless
Spa and wellness innovator, Sammy Gharieni, reveals how his on-trend products are perfect for delivering high-value touchless treatments
Country focus: Best of British
We take a look at the standout concepts offered in the world-class spas that have opened in the UK over the last three years
Promotion: Sustain and regenerate
Sustainable skincare brand, Comfort Zone, has radically reinvented its entire Sacred Nature line, driven by the ambition to create some of the world’s first carbon-negative products
Interview: Emma Darby
Despite closing during in lockdown, some Resense spas still hit revenue targets. Its COO tells Spa Business magazine how
Promotion: Redefining the snowroom
Italian snowroom expert, TechnoAlpin, has collaborated with groundbreaking architectural practice, Snøhetta, to create a snowroom like no other
Medi-wellness: On good termes
Italy’s Long Life clinic, which offers anti-ageing science alongside water cures, is gaining greater attention post-lockdown. Sophie Benge pays a visit
Supplier showcase: Premium Fitness
Dormy House has partnered with Matrix Fitness to create two fully-connected fitness suites to take its offering to a new and more sophisticated level @DormyHouse @MatrixFitnessUK
Promotion: Sothys
Sothys’ beauty treatment designer, Séverine Monjanel, and training director, Isabelle Villey, talk to Spa Business about the company’s new authentic ancestral Indonesian treatment
In a world where imbalance often accumulates quietly, Wildsmith unveils its newest
wellbeing innovation: Silent Loads, an approach designed to meet the needs of modern spa
guests with precision and depth. [more...]
Le Atelier by C.O.D.E. doesn't offer a standard bespoke service, it provides a highly
customised approach to designing massage beds and loungers in high-end wellness
environments. [more...]
Patrick Huey chair, ISPA;
vice president spa and retail, Montage International / Credit: @Danielle Nowak/Nomadic Reverie
Patrick Huey has just been elected the new chair of the International Spa Association (ISPA), having been a board member since 2016. He’s a valued member of the global spa community who’s been in the industry for over 15 years and served as group spa director for companies such as Viceroy, Sandals, Minor, and now Montage International. He shares insights with Spa Business about his new role, the Black Lives Matter campaign and the impact of coronavirus.
What does it mean to be elected as the new ISPA chair? I’ve wanted to be a part of the association ever since my first ISPA conference in 2007. I’d just been promoted to spa director for Four Seasons Las Vegas and the energy of the floor with the resource partners, the keynotes and the quality of the educational seminars made me realise I had found my people. I was hooked. Being elected chair is such a wonderful experience and enables me to engage the new spa professional, at our next conference in Phoenix next May, to ensure they know ISPA is the place for them to develop from a first time attendee to a critical part of the ISPA family.
What are you hoping to achieve in the role? We have a tremendous group of volunteer board members and our focus is to ensure the sustainability of our industry and the association through this extraordinary time. It’s that simple. We want to ensure our members (current and future) continue to look on the positive side of what’s happening. We should all be asking ‘what is the good that we can find today?’
A colleague recently reached out to me through ISPA’s virtual Town Hall series and even though we’ve been in the industry together for more than 20 years, she now feels she knows me and we’ve established a rapport. This is exactly what we need as an industry right now – that sense of positive and personal connection and engagement.
How successful has ISPA’s Town Hall series been? We launched them in June and every week the virtual, hour-long sessions see spa leaders who’ve reopened their business share observations around different topics – from prepping staff to revenue management. We’ve had very high engagement levels. The last time I checked we had over 18,000 participants on our various social platforms.
What are your takeaways from these sessions? This pandemic has brought forth the best in our industry. Our spa operators and therapists are the unsung heroes of the hospitality. They’re not only brilliant business minds, but they’re navigating the complexities of human emotion of their associates and guests. It’s a phenomenal balancing act. In hotel operations, food and beverage gets a lot of attention. I encourage general managers to look at their spa directors closely. They will see examples of extraordinary leadership there.
I’ve also been impressed with how quickly resource partners have pivoted at this time. From drop shipping to virtual training platforms, they really are the engine of the industry.
ISPA’s Reopening Toolkit has been essential to the industry, how did you generate the content for it? It was critical that the industry fly in formation to navigate these extraordinary times and I headed up ISPA’s COVID-19 Collaboration Group. So many wonderful and brilliant minds, from different parts of the globe, and dozens of companies, large and small, committed to freely sharing their knowledge with one another as it relates to the health and safety of our spa teams and guests.
ISPA then made the smart and compassionate decision to make the toolkit complimentary and customisable. This bold move has enabled spas around the world – as well as many other industries – to safely reopen and its been viewed over 150,000 times! The document is updated constantly as we all continue to learn more.
The Black Lives Matter movement is gaining traction… is racial discrimination an issue in the spa industry? Our industry is open to all and ISPA issued a statement of #Healinghappenshere at the height of the protests affirming its support.
But there’s always room to grow and develop and I see the industry shifting and adjusting. Just last week Dr Bryan Williams, a celebrated speaker, author and hospitality veteran, featured on a new virtual series ISPA’s launching called Heart of the Matter. He talked about diversity and inclusion in the spa industry and his own experiences with discrimination. I believe the way we make change is through dialogue and education. When talking about these highly sensitive issues, we have to meet people where they are in their own journey and listen to understand, not just listen only to respond. This is how we effect change.
Are all Montage spas now up and running again? Our decisions to reopen are guided by the laws and guidelines of each state and jurisdiction. We have six spas, five are now open and one remains closed. We’re also excited to be opening two more properties before the end of this year, Montage Healdsburg and Pendry West Hollywood, so we’ll have eight spas in total soon.
For those that are open again, how is business? It’s strong and consistent for our spas. We have a loyal and dedicated following of guests who have graciously remained by our side and trusted in our Peace of Mind Commitment to their safety. I think we’ll continue to see strong levels. Now, more than ever, people need a safe and trusted place to heal themselves and we provide that. We’re still offering massages, facials, body services and salon services. Some states have specified that certain treatments cannot be done and in those cases we follow the established guidelines.
What strategies does Montage have in place to maintain revenue? Retail is a key. We have to embrace technology and understand that guests want to purchase products online. So, it’s important to have active e-commerce bandwidth and programmes like drop shipping from your resource partners to your guests.
It’s also important to have smart booking procedures to ensure you’re maximising your therapists’ time. We want to reduce any unnecessary open blocks on the books. They represent lost revenue opportunities.
Lastly, it’s about refining the guest experience – it’s essential that what happens in the treatment room is exemplary and impactful. That’s when the guests will return.
How is the global spa industry is going to weather the impact of COVID-19? Quite well, I think. The industry is committed to safety first. Safety and consistency are the new markers of luxury.
What’s key for businesses that do survive? We as an industry have to remember that we succeed and stumble together. We have to execute consistently on the guidelines that we’ve put in place. If we don’t do that, we break trust with our teams and our guests. That trust is the key business driver.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2020 issue 3
Editor's letter: The fight ahead
There’s a huge job of work to do to build our reputation and win support in the corridors of power, says Katie Barnes
Spa people: Patrick Huey
The vice-president of spa and retail at Montage talks about his new role as ISPA chair, Black Lives Matter and how his spas are fighting back against COVID-19
Spa people: Rianna Riego
Wellness consultant Rianna Riego speaks out about racial discrimination in the global spa industry
Spa people: Anna Teal
The CEO of Aromatherapy Associates outlines the online innovations it's using to connect with customers in exciting new ways
Spa programmes: On the menu
How are spas changing their treatments and services now they’re staring to reopen again?
Interview: Lee Woon Hoe
Banyan Tree’s executive director of wellbeing tells Spa Business magazine why now is the right time for the group to launch its new wellness concept
Ask an expert: Spa design 2030
Spa Business magazine asks leading designers and architects to give their predictions about pandemic-proof spa models
Promotion: Trendsetting
Design specialists, The Wellness, worked with in-house engineers for Jumeirah to create a state-of-the-art gym for Talise Fitness at the Jumeirah Al Naseem in Dubai
Research: Manner of speaking
ISPA’s latest study reveals consumer attitudes in the aftermath of COVID-19. Josh Corman picks out the key details
Research: New perspectives
Two surveys in the UK highlight both spa operator and spa-goer insights as facilities across the country begin to welcome guests back
Promotion: The power of touchless
Spa and wellness innovator, Sammy Gharieni, reveals how his on-trend products are perfect for delivering high-value touchless treatments
Country focus: Best of British
We take a look at the standout concepts offered in the world-class spas that have opened in the UK over the last three years
Promotion: Sustain and regenerate
Sustainable skincare brand, Comfort Zone, has radically reinvented its entire Sacred Nature line, driven by the ambition to create some of the world’s first carbon-negative products
Interview: Emma Darby
Despite closing during in lockdown, some Resense spas still hit revenue targets. Its COO tells Spa Business magazine how
Promotion: Redefining the snowroom
Italian snowroom expert, TechnoAlpin, has collaborated with groundbreaking architectural practice, Snøhetta, to create a snowroom like no other
Medi-wellness: On good termes
Italy’s Long Life clinic, which offers anti-ageing science alongside water cures, is gaining greater attention post-lockdown. Sophie Benge pays a visit
Supplier showcase: Premium Fitness
Dormy House has partnered with Matrix Fitness to create two fully-connected fitness suites to take its offering to a new and more sophisticated level @DormyHouse @MatrixFitnessUK
Promotion: Sothys
Sothys’ beauty treatment designer, Séverine Monjanel, and training director, Isabelle Villey, talk to Spa Business about the company’s new authentic ancestral Indonesian treatment
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, has put together a Global Wellness Day
(GWD) agenda with activations rooted in nature and shaped by four pillars of Joy – in
alignment with the day’s theme #JoyMagenta.
The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the 2026 event in
Phuket, Thailand, later this year with the theme: The Science, Art and Soul of Wellness.
Auko, an all-inclusive development, is opening in Phong Nha in Vietnam in Q3 2026, with a
series of 30 tented eco-lodges and wellness hospitality operations by Lumina Wellbeing.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Resort, has opened a 2,800sq m spa called The Sanctuary,
with the design and concept inspired by the Native American people that populated Florida’s
Southwest coast – the Calusa.
Swire Hotels’ luxury hospitality brand Upper House has revealed it will roll out its two-day
House of Healing retreats at its three hotels in Hong Kong, Chengdu and Shanghai.
LVMH-owned beauty house Guerlain will launch up to five spas with partners a year as part of
its plan to expand globally, according to the brand’s international spa and wellness director,
Diane Davody.
A new global study by Kevin Kelly and Peter Yesawich, called WELLSurvey 2.0, has revealed
more than half of consumers in the UK, US and Germany would not choose numerous high-
profile wellness resort brands for a future trip.
Luxury hospitality and wellness pioneer Jeremy McCarthy has launched Leisure Alchemy, a
digital platform that will provide professionals with strategic guidance on how to build
transformational leisure experiences that drive profit.
In a world where imbalance often accumulates quietly, Wildsmith unveils its newest
wellbeing innovation: Silent Loads, an approach designed to meet the needs of modern spa
guests with precision and depth. [more...]
Le Atelier by C.O.D.E. doesn't offer a standard bespoke service, it provides a highly
customised approach to designing massage beds and loungers in high-end wellness
environments. [more...]
